The Ark Herb Farm

Recently we drove to the Ark Herb Farm, an interesting botanical garden on the side of the Barva volcano, Santa Barbara de Heredia. It’s a huge operation and well worth visiting. They have over 1600 species of plants.

There’s a closed entrance gate that they will open when you ring the bell. A really nice young lady met us at the sale nursery and gave us brochures and explained where things were. Entry cost is reasonable - 4,000 CRC each (about $7 USD). You can wander around on your own or take a tour with an expert guide. We decided to mosey around on our own. There appeared to be a lot of work going on. A large restaurant was being built and some of the garden areas were not yet planted. The weather wasn’t the best that day so we didn’t go on the trails.

Of course I had to go into the sale nursery and came out with a culantro plant and a sage plant. Every month I get an email from the Ark Farm listing every herb, bush, tree and plant they have to offer that month. You can place your order via email and they will have it ready for you when you get to the farm. One building was called The Meadery and this is where they produce mead using honey from their own bees.

Random photos:

The meadery building:

The sale greenhouse:

Overcast day:

This would be a great place for a plant aficionado. They offer different activities and courses on the weekends, including a “farm to table” lunch. There’s also a treehouse that’s for rent!